America's "Little Sheffield"

[danno50]

Sorry Bruce, misunderstood your question.
Great timeline, KAW!, very useful.
Dan

[KAW]

Dan.... Now after taking a closer look.... nice set of folders you have there!
The Schrade bare end Jack looks to be pristine & I love the look of the bone on that one.
....the Dwight Devine & Sons looks great too.... still lookin' for one of those myself....
....and more about the Wallkill River Works in my next post....
& hope you get a lot of use from the timeline.... it the only thing that keeps my head on straight when trying to recall what's what.

[FRJ]

That time line post is great. I really like that. Thank you, Kenneth.

[KAW]

When New York Knife came to Walden in 1856, they did change their name to Wallkill River Works, but then changed it back around 1860.
To find one of these knives would probably be like finding the Holy Grail.

New York Knife Co. reintroduced the Wallkill River Works product line in 1928 as an economy line, probably as a last ditch effort to turn things around for the company. It only lasted for three years until the company closed under bankruptcy. So most Wallkill River Works knives that survive today come from this short period.

It seems my examples seem to be of the more eccentric styles. Another slimline.... at 3 11/16" it larger the the Electric Cutlery I have of this style (still waiting for someone to post the name of....).... the construction of this stockman pattern of which has a single piece U−shaped brass liner that the celluloid candy−stripped covers are pinned to and also conceals the backsprings. This folder has seen some hard use based on the blade wear, but all 3 blades still have excellent snap & only the main spear has a slight wobble to it.... so as a 76 to 79 year old "economy" knife that shows obvious signs of being someone's EDC for quite some time, it has held up pretty well....
Based on Joe's & Dan's photo contributions, Wallkill River Works line also include more traditional styles too....

[KAW]

That time line post is great. I really like that. Thank you, Kenneth.

Thanks Joe.... I'm a history buff first.... then a knife collector....

If anyone would like me to forward the pdf version in an email let me know via a email or PM.

[wlf]

Hello everybody, I am thankful I can say that.

Wow what a thread Kaw.

I can help a little later on,must attend to vehicle problems. That's called a spud on the Spine of Joe's modified spey blade. A unique and rare knife,especially with the handles intact. here's a link to some more information about Joe's knife.

http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/resc ... ck.398149/

[supratentorial]

Nice knives and compilation of history. I saved the timelines and will take a look at them this evening.

[bighomer]

Great stuff, I'm loving the pictures and the history and catalogs cuts.thanks for posting to all you fine fellers. ×10

[KAW]

Thanks for info Lyle & that link was a great read! I think it will help Joe realize more what a precious piece he has there....

Nice knives and compilation of history. I saved the timelines and will take a look at them this evening.

Great stuff, I'm loving the pictures and the history and catalogs cuts.thanks for posting to all you fine fellers. ×10

Thanks for visiting & I hope you stick around.... there's more to come....

[FRJ]

Well, I guess I'll quit stirring paint with the ol' Fibestos.

I just drool over Lyle's beautiful Farmers Jacks and others that show up in certain threads.
I thought this knife was Schrades way of putting a less expensive knife on the market.
So I guess it's kind of rare. That's pretty cool.
I paid $55.88 for it in July. 5 bids, 5 bidders. Who knew?

Thank you Lyle for the information on this knife.

A very informative thread for everyone. And apparently more to come.

Here's a Dwight Divine.

[ea42]

Joe what a beautiful Divine, and with an unusual shield as well!! They don't get much better than that!
Those fibestos handles on the Schrade are in great shape, here's what happens when they get a little gassy:

KAW great thread, and fantastic knives being posted!

Eric

[FRJ]

Thank you Eric. It's one of my favorite knives. Thanks to Steve Pfeiffer.

Ouch ..... that's too bad about that knife. Your blades look fantastic. Maybe a rehandle?

I hope these handles hold up.

[KAW]

And apparently more to come. Here's a Dwight Divine.

That's right.... I was predicting you would be posting more great knives.... and you came thru with that divine Divine!!

Eric, so glad you found us here! I agree with Joe about possibly rehandling.... I bet black ram's horn would look mighty fine on there....

I would be remiss if I moved on without mentioning that New York Knife Co. also did a good amount of business and dedicated a fair amount of their factory space to their table cutlery production line. I don't have much info here, but it seems it may have started at or near the beginning of the company as they were big on supplying this type of cutlery during the civil war & afterwards. They made several different patterns of the pewter inlay in the handles of both wood & bone. Don't know if they named any of the patterns or if they were offered at different periods. If anyone knows more or can point to a source, that would be great....

Here's a set of 6 forks & knives I picked up a little while ago. I've been keeping an eye out for these for about a year now.... There's a good amount out there both in wood & bone in varying degrees of condition & $$$, but these looked pretty good for the $$$ offered.... they do look good enough to eat with & have thought about setting the table with them for dinner one eve....

ohhh!.... and I found the hard way that it is carbon steel they are made of as I washed them with dishsoap & water after "cleaning them up a bit".... now when I "do dishes" I'm in the habit of washing & just letting them air dry in the drainer.... then next morning, I discovered little brown polka dots all over the metal portions of both forks & knives.... ....had to "clean" them up all over again & this time after washing I made sure to towel dry immediately & throughly.... ....then I gave them a coating of mineral oil, metal & wood. Certainly do take our stainless flatware for granted these days....

[FRJ]

Those are beautiful utensils KAW.
I have some that may be from the same era but I don't really know.
Elegant flat ware from long ago.

[KAW]

Thems the fancy ones you got thar, Joe!

I believe they had a name for each of the patterns, but dang if I know what they are?
I haven't even heard of let alone seen a catalog for the tableware, but they must have had them at least for the retailers.

[gsmith7158]

Here are some that I think will fit into the history of this thread. First is a NYKC Tree scribe. Second is an Electric Cut Co with the Walden stamp. Third is a US made knife contracted for Wester Bros.New York that I feel certain was made by NYKC. And finally a whittler that I believe was made in Germany for Friedman and Lauterjung who were the originators of the Electric brand which later became Electric Cut Co. Newark, NJ. in1890 and and later bought NYKC.

[KAW]

Greg.... I just recently discovered the 2nd page of Emojis & been dying to use this one....
Yes.... those beauties fit right in perfectly with this thread. I've seen dozens of those tree scribes on the Bay, but really haven't gone after one mainly because I can't wrap my head around its use.... from the photos I've seen, I just don't get it.... ....how does one go about using this gadget?

[gsmith7158]

Greg.... I just recently discovered the 2nd page of Emojis & been dying to use this one....
Yes.... those beauties fit right in perfectly with this thread. I've seen dozens of those tree scribes on the Bay, but really haven't gone for one mainly because I can't wrap my head around its use.... from the photos I've seen, I just don't get it.... ....how does one go about using this gadget?

KAW, they are really quite interesting. From my research their main use was to mark oaken whiskey barrels with date and maker. The tip is very sharp and will cut a groove into wood. Also used in the timber industry to mark trees to be cut. They are also call rase knives, timber scribes and some have brass handles for use in conditions like marine dock loading where rust would be highly corrosive.

[FRJ]

KAW, who was John B. Russell in Walden?

[KAW]

Thanks Greg.... That help clear things up quite a bit. I like the part where they were used for whiskey barrels.

KAW, who was John B. Russell in Walden?

Well somebody has been studying the timeline.

from the Timeline:
1876: John Russell’s edge tool factory in Napanoch (est. 1866 & most likely making axes) became Russell Tobacco Knife Co.
Later started the John B. Russell Knife Works.
1912: John B. Russell Knife Works became the Humphrey Knife Factory.

John B. Russell was not in Walden, but was mostly known for his Tobacco Knife Company in Napanoch. Altho, there is very little documentation that I have come across yet, it appears he may have first started up with an axe company (there were several axe companies in Napanoch throughout the second half of the 19th century and it was stated he had established an "edge tool factory" in 1866).... but it was his tobacco knife (really a cigar cutter) that put him on the map. I've been on the prowl for more than a year now to find one with no success. I found a brief statement that sometime later, he opened a knife works in his name and that it was sold off to become the Humphrey Knife Factory. That is all the info I have been able to dig up on either of these two knife works.... nor have I seen any examples of their knives....

[FRJ]

Thank you, KAW, I appreciate that information as I'm sure others do too. It would be nice to find that cigar cutter.

I wonder if there is any relation to John Russell in Green River, Ma.

Thanks again.

[wlf]

Here's my S7309F rehandled in walnut by David Anthony and given me. My cousin and I stained it black to be more original. Notice the extra thick liners as noted in the cut description. Also the wharncliffe blade as opposed to the usual hawkbill pruner.

[FRJ]

Here's a pretty cool little Walden knife. A 3 incher.

[KAW]

About a month ago, I posted this in the Razor forum, but not much info turned up.... and I figure before I move off of NYKC here, it would be appropriate to post here & hope with this crowd someone may know more about the subject....

Not that I'm a collector of razors, however last May I came across on the Bay a straight razor with a tang stamp: New York Knife Co. / Walden, N.Y. I have not come across anything even hinting that they made razors. Even more bizarre was the seller's location was in Estonia (formerly part of Russia). Fortunately the price was low enough to take a gamble. It looks great!... but is it authentic?

Then I found a thread here on AAPK about Electric Cutlery Co. straight razors and hope there may actually be a connection here. In 1903, the Fuller Bros. of Electric Cutlery Co., Newark, NJ purchased New York Knife Co. and ironically the Walden factory and the Hammer Brand line almost immediately became their primary operation. The Newark plant was closed down in 1910 and the Electric Cutlery Co. line manufactured at Walden was discontinued in 1920.

Apparently, Electric had a product line of straight razors. The question is.... after "merging" with NY Knife, did they continue the razor line under the new name (hence explaining the razor in the photo)? .... perhaps still making them in Newark until 1910? .... or did they move the operation to Walden as the tang stamp suggests? A photo posted by Miller Bro's shows an Electric Cutlery straight razor that looks very similar. I would really like to know exactly what I have here.... is it a fake or genuine?



Here's a the photo posted by Miller Bro's showing the Electric Cutlery straight razor on the left.

[gsmith7158]

Kaw I have a couple of early Electric straight razors . One is marked Freidman and Lauterjung and the other is marked Electric Cutlery Co. Newark N.J. I saw your post in the other thread. While I have seen many razors marked with the Electric Cutlery stamp I have not seen one marked as yours is with New York Knife Co. but it sta d's to reason that just because they gave up the name Electric they wouldn't just stop making razors. I believe 1910 was well before the safety razor was introduced so it would have still been a lucrative business. Also the design is exactly the same as the Electric so I would guess that NYKC just kept making them.